Zambia Women’s U17 National Team head coach Carol Kanyemba has urged the Copper Princesses to remain hopeful despite their heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Venezuela at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, insisting that the team can still fight for a positive outcome in its final Group D match against France.
Zambia suffered late disappointment after a spirited performance against Venezuela, with a lapse in concentration in the closing minutes allowing their opponents to claim all three points. Despite the result, Kanyemba praised her players’ attitude and resilience, arguing that the final scoreline did not fully reflect their performance.
“First and foremost, I want to say thank you to God; I return all the glory to Him,” Kanyemba said. “A 3–2 final scoreline is not really a reflection of the performance that we had today. The girls had the right attitude and did almost everything right, but instead of concentrating in the final minutes, I think we panicked a bit, which led to the goal we conceded.”
The coach also pointed to improvements in the team’s tactical organisation compared with their opening match. Kanyemba said the Copper Princesses showed better defensive compactness and transitioned well when moving forward in attack, while their overall attitude demonstrated the character she wants to see from the squad.
“Overall, most of the things that we expected of the girls, they were able to implement. We tried to be compact at the back and we also transitioned well in attack. Today they showed a lot of character, and we shall encourage them to keep that same attitude moving forward,” she said.
Despite suffering a second defeat in Group D, Kanyemba has urged the team and its supporters not to lose faith ahead of their final group-stage encounter against France. The coach acknowledged the quality and reputation of their next opponents but insisted that Zambia would approach the match believing in their own abilities.
“Not all hope is lost — we still have what it takes. Football is decided on the pitch. We respect France — it’s a big name — but we are also here to show our abilities, and the girls are looking forward to showing their strength,” Kanyemba said.
The coach added that her players would aim to apply what they have been working on in training, while accepting that their World Cup journey could also provide valuable lessons for their continued development.
“Everything is possible in football. Whatever we’ve been training, we shall implement. If worst comes to worst and we don’t make it, we appreciate God for allowing us to reach this far, and we pray that the girls continue developing in the game,” she said.
For the Copper Princesses, attention now turns to France and the challenge of finishing their Group D campaign strongly. While the defeat to Venezuela was a painful setback, Kanyemba’s message is one of belief, resilience and continued development as Zambia prepare for their final group-stage test.
